On-site

Cavity insulation installer

Cavity insulation installers fit insulation, soundproofing materials and cladding in buildings.

Annual Salary

£17,000 to £40,000

Working hours

42 to 44 a week

You could work: weekends;

0.7%
Future employment

There will be 0.7% fewer Cavity insulation installer jobs in 2029.
In your local area

What's it all about?

Day-to-day tasks

As an installer you would:

  • set up scaffolding or access platforms where required
  • carry out pre-installation surveys
  • mark out ventilation, wiring and pipework ducts in buildings
  • work out the volume of space to be filled and the amount of materials needed
  • drill holes into the walls of a building
  • inject insulation materials into cavity spaces or fit pre-formed cladding
  • re-fill drill holes and re-point mortar
  • check all airbricks and flues are clear
  • make sure materials and methods meet building regulations

Working environment

You could work at a client's business, at a client's home or on a construction site.

Your working environment may be at height, cramped and physically demanding.

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly
College

You could learn some relevant skills through a college course like:

  • Level 1 Award in Construction Crafts
  • Level 2 Diploma in Building Insulation Treatments
  • Level 2 Certificate in Construction Operations
  • Level 2 Certificate in Construction and Building Crafts

These courses will give you some of the skills and knowledge you'll need to apply for trainee jobs.

Entry requirements

You may need:

  • 2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent, for a level 1 course
  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • funding advice|https://www.gov.uk/further-education-courses/financial-help
  • search for courses|/find-a-course
Apprenticeship

The following apprenticeships are relevant to this role:

  • commercial thermal insulation operative intermediate apprenticeship
  • industrial thermal insulation technician advanced apprenticeship

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
Direct application

You could apply directly for jobs. Employers will usually look for GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in subjects like English, maths or design and technology.

Experience in construction, lagging or cladding could be useful.

Requirements and restrictions

You'll need to:

  • You may need a driving licence for some jobs.

More information

Further information

You can find out more about working in cavity insulation from Go Construct.

With experience, you could become a team leader, site supervisor or estimator. You could also set up your own installation business.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

  • the ability to work well with others
  • knowledge of building and construction
  • physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
  • the ability to operate and control equipment
  • customer service skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • persistence and determination
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
My top 5 skills from the skills bank
Please sign in to compare your skills to this job. Sign in

To save or view your choices and results you must sign in or register (takes 1 minute).

Sign in Register